


Esotery

by QueenEgg



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Ghost is present in Spirit both literally and metaphorically, Grimmbean is named Eide in this one, I can never pick a proper name for thk so in this one theyre just 'Hollow', Most people live, Post "Ascension" Ending + Completion of Grimm Troupe Sidequest, and some Non-Canon Character Life, canon character death, this is an experiment honestly
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-07-27
Packaged: 2019-06-01 01:38:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15132251
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenEgg/pseuds/QueenEgg
Summary: I know you creature, and the form time shall bring. You may be all and one, clan and master, but this land shall never bear so foreign a king.Or, the one where the Grimmchild becomes the new Ruler of Hallownest





	Esotery

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I didnt have a plot idea for this going in but i've kind of got one now. though after the first arc it'll probably just be slice of life-ish style oneshots all based in this AU. Partially inspired by [Mumsnake's AU](https://archiveofourown.org/series/1004127) which is pretty dang great if I do say so myself!

_You will do great things, accomplish amazing feats, and win over the hearts of many. But, there is one thing I know you will never achieve in this life, nor the next._

Eide felt a grimace spread across their face as they remembered their parent's words. It was already bad enough knowing they were making many a futile effort in pursuit of their goals, but to always be reminded that their hard work would never be rewarded? It was less than encouraging.

Soon, a burning smell reached them, and as they glanced down, they hissed sharply at the sign of the Hive peace treaty beginning to smolder in their claws.

"Hopeless- _hopeless._ Why am still I trying? They hate me, they know what I am. I'll be lucky if they even agree to spare us a tenth of the resources they once shared with Hallownest back in the day," Eide barely held back a sigh as they let themselves fall back into their chair, which was a tall and gaudy thing. _Preparation for when you will one day sit in a real throne,_ their Aunt Hornet had said, albeit jokingly. At the moment, they didn't care if they got a throne in the future, not when all they really wanted was-

The doors to their chamber opened slightly, and Eide perked up when the massive crest of their caretaker, the Hollow Knight peeked through the gap. The large vessel's head tilted to the side as they opened the door further before beckoning towards them with their good arm.

Immediately forgetting about their work on the peace treaty, Eide threw it aside, flew out of the chair, and swooped into Hollow's embrace, feeling the other bug’s silent laughter rumble through their entire body as they were carried them down from their room within the Resting Grounds.

When they were younger they used to pester the taller bug about their destination, for the idea of traveling somewhere without a single notion of where one was going terrified them, but now they'd learned to simply enjoy their caretaker's presence during the ride. Sometimes, Eide wished they still had a tail that they could use to hang off of Hollow's arms or shoulders.

Even if they’d grown out of their question-asking phase, they still felt a need to fill the silence with words. “Do you think, if they were still here, that they would think I’m doing a good job? I feel like they would have been a better King than me. At least people liked Ghost.” Eide let out a soft sigh, a small plume of flame leaving their mouth as they exhaled their disappointment.

When a large hand grabbed them by the back of their neck and lifted them up, gently but firmly, Eide couldn’t help but cough out a few sparks of surprise as Hollow held them in front of their face, the emotionless look permanently carved into their mask not matching the solemnity they were exuding. The other bug shook their head slightly before cradling Eide against their chest.

“...You were there, weren’t you? Right before they-” another cough sent embers into the air as they thought about the last moments they’d shared with Ghost. Their time as a youth not yet matured in the flames of the kingdom wasn’t as prominent in their mind as was their memories of their parent following the defeat of Grimm. Ghost took them everywhere, even into that fated final battle with the Old Light.

Hollow let out an empty sigh that was more akin to the wind blowing through a cavern than it was an actual response, but Eide knew what they were trying to convey.

“I’m glad you survived, even if they didn’t. Though sometimes I wish they could’ve survived instead of me. I miss them,” they said, trying to ignore the hot tears forming in their eyes. “I don’t understand why they let go after everything. I feel like I still had so much to learn from them.” Leaning back against Hollow’s chest, they mrewed with discontent as the very scene replayed back inside their mind. The Old Light appearing before them, their desperate attempts to fend against her, and Ghost’s last gift to their child- the severing of the bond keeping Eide tethered to them, leaving the vessel free to–

“Well, you shouldn’t look to the past for guidance on what needs to be done in the future. I thought I told you this once already,” a familiar voice spoke to them, stern but understanding. Looking up, Eide realized that they’d been so focused on their own thoughts that they didn’t even notice that Hollow had taken them out of the Resting Grounds, out of the Crossroads themselves, and all the way to the edge of Dirtmouth. Drawing back slightly, they tried not to think about how the town’s residents all cowered away from them the last time they tried to make peace with the small settlement.

“Oh, Aunt Hornet,” Eide dropped out of Hollow’s grip unceremoniously and moved to her side, allowing her to lean down and place a hand on their shoulder. While her piercing gaze may have frightened and intimidated others, Edie knew that it was an honor to be acknowledged by her in such a way. She looked at them without the fear they saw in the eyes of Hallownest’s surviving citizens, and without the contempt of some of its more discriminating populace. Hornet regarded them as an equal, and for that, they, in turn, gave her respect. “I didn’t know we were meeting today, was I supposed to have prepared something? The treaty with the Hive-”

“It can wait,” she said, looking them over once more before drawing back and nodding sharply at Hollow, the two of them speaking wordlessly as Eide looked between them, momentarily lost. “We’re going someplace without documents for quite some time. I’ve already prepared everything, and we’ll be leaving shortly.” With that, she turned and started walking in the direction of the town, prompting Eide to follow.

“Wait, wait, I don’t understand, we’re just leaving Hallownest? Why?” they responded, confusion in their voice, though they made sure to hold back out of worry that she’d take their uncertainty for weakness.

“There is someone we need to find, and he won’t be found here. So we’re leaving. The Hollow one will manage this place in our stead. After all, they too were once as royal as you are now,” she replied, glancing back at them before beckoning them to follow once more. “With luck, we will not be gone longer than necessary.”

Her tone left no room for argument, and so Eide held back their lingering questions and followed her up and out of the canyon.

  


**Author's Note:**

> For background: Ghost completed the ritual and got their fully fledged grimmchild with a couple more things that'll be elaborated upon later. They also beat the Radiance and kind of died in the process. THK survived the final battle and was rehabilitated by Hornet and now watches over the grimmchild (Eide) with her while they try and raise their sibling's kid to be a suitable heir to the throne. 
> 
> hit me up on tumblr (@eggroyalty) and tell me how much higher beings suck and/or to give me ideas & prompts for this fic!


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